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China and Taiwan hold government-to-government talks for first time in 65 years
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Taiwan and China hold their highest level talks for more than six decades
- Nanjing meeting marks the first government-to-government contact since 1949 split
- Taiwan's top China policymaker Wang Yu-chi will meet counterpart Zhang Zhijun
- Group says two Taiwan-based reporters have been excluded from covering trip
(Source CNN) -- Taiwan and China are holding their highest level talks for more than six decades Tuesday, marking the first government-to-government contact since the pair's acrimonious split in 1949.
A spokesperson for Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which oversees the island's China policy, told CNN that its top official, Wang Yu-chi, was due to meet with counterpart Zhang Zhijun.
Previous contact between the two sides has been conducted through semi-official foundations or through political parties, not by government ministers acting in their official capacities.
On his departure from Taipei, Wang said the visit would not be "easy" and the two sides would not sign any specific agreements, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The meeting will take place in Nanjing, which was the seat of government under the Kuomintang or Nationalist party before a civil war with the Chinese Communists forced Nationalist forces to flee to Taiwan in 1949.
Ever since, the island and mainland China have been governed separately, both claiming to be the true government of China.
A statement on the MAC's website said the trip "marked a significant step to develop and normalize" relations between the two.
However, the exclusion of two Taiwan reporters from covering the meeting has soured the start of Wang's historic visit, which is expected to last four days in total.
Two journalists from Taiwan's Apple Daily and Radio Free Asia were excluded from a delegation of more than 80 reporters accompanying Wang, according to Freedom House, a press freedom watchdog.
"The Chinese government's refusal to grant access to these journalists reflects two important trends—the Communist Party's expansion of its tactics for influencing media from Hong Kong to Taiwan, and the government's use of visa denials as a way to punish overseas news outlets for critical coverage," said Sarah Cook, senior research analyst at Freedom House.
Taiwan's Central News Agency said Wang would address protecting the freedom of the press at the meeting.
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has never ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification.
Taiwan also calls itself the Republic of China.
Relations between the two sides have improved since Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang party came to power in Taiwan's 2008 elections.
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